Oakdale Park, Glen Rose Texas

Oakdale Park has a long history in Glen Rose Texas. Even before the park was built, the land and the water wells attracted people to stay here. The park, swimming pool, and bath house were built in 1925. More recently, the park has been purchased by the City of Glen Rose.

It’s not hard to find negative reviews for this park on the Web, and I have read some of them. Oakdale Park and just about everything in Oakdale Park is old. Just to be fair though, old does not always equal bad. The little cabins seem out of place today. The bath house and, well, just about everything else is old, mostly functional, but old. On the other hand, the pool, built in 1925, is enormous, even by today’s standards. The pool and the abundant shade around the pool make it one of the best places to swim in Glen Rose.

The history of Oakdale is interesting. Everyone calls this place Oakdale Park, but the sign out front of the park tells a slightly different story. It says, Oakdale Park, Motor Inn, Camping. That old sign is a clue to the history of  Oakdale Park. The park is, in reality, a surviving roadside camp and motor court. Motels as we know them today didn’t exist before the 1940′s. In the 1920′s and early 1930′s roadside camps gave road trip travelers a place to stay along the road but offered very little in the way of amenities. Eventually, accommodations became more elaborate. Cabins offered indoor plumbing and an opportunity for travelers to get indoors and out of the weather.  Oakdale Park is, among other things, a surviving 1930′s Motor Court.

Oakdale Park is an unobtrusive place. There’s no gate fee. Visitors can come in and look around. They rent trailer spaces and cabins, but swimming is a popular reason to stop here. The location of this place is outstanding. Big Rocks Park is just across the street, and Historic Downtown Glen Rose is just maybe a half-mile up the road.

Where

Oakdale Park is located in Glen Rose Texas one-half mile south of US 67 on Hwy 144 S. It’s on the road that goes to the historical downtown and is across the street from Big Rocks Park.

For more information and a map do a Google search for “Oakdale Park in Glen Rose.” Right now their web site isn’t working.

Vintage Roadside has a wonderful history of motor courts, roadside camps, and motels.

Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose Texas

Located just northwest of Glen Rose, Dinosaur Valley State Park is a 1500-acre scenic park. Although the key attraction at this park is the dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River, there are many other ways to enjoy a day here. Other activities include camping, hiking, mountain biking, horse-back riding, river swimming and fishing.

This park lies within the Cross Timbers region of the state, and the grasslands and woodlands make for a refreshing outdoors experience. A new effort seems to be under way to develop this aspect of the park; recent trail development and signage emphasize this aspect of the park. The wildflowers in Spring, and the native grasses in Fall are very attractive here.

This park is very popular. Based on attendance, one of the top state parks in Texas. Dinosaur Valley State Park seems to attract many families with children. This park contains some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world. The dinosaur tracks in the river bed, the educational displays, and the two model dinosaurs from the 1964 New York World’s Fair combined are bound to be way more interesting than a bunch of pictures in a 4th grade science book.

The dinosaur tracks are in the river bed, and hard to locate when the river is up. Just as a backup plan, you can see a track at the Somervell County Museum in Glen Rose Texas.

Where

1629 Park Road 59
Glen Rose, Texas 76043

Just west of Glen Rose off Highway 67, watch for the signs for Park Road 59 and FM 205.

Somervell County Picnic Area Number 50

As you travel west from Glen Rose Texas on US Highway 67, you will pass through a hilly area. The change in scenery is pleasant after so much flat land. The road climbs up and up, until you come to the final steep climb. There’s a road side park at the very top of this hill. There’s really nothing there except the view and usually a cool breeze. Technically the place is called Somervell County Picnic Area No. 50.

A bronze plaque says that the park is dedicated to Walter Allen, a Maintenance Construction Foreman for the Texas Highway Department, dated 1973. Another sign says the land was donated by the Gibbs family, dated 1958. There’s an assortment of odd gathered and volcanic rocks used in a wall and curbing. Some larger rocks are used to create a monument of sorts.

These parks dot the landscape all across Texas. I believe they date back to a different era of travel. So may of them are little-used. This one seems popular, for the view and for the cool breeze that often blows through it.

Where

Eight or nine miles west of Glen Rose Texas on Highway 67.

Big Rocks Park, Glen Rose Texas

Big Rocks Park in Glen Rose Texas has been a popular hangout for a long time. As the name says, there are big rocks, result of some geologic event thousands of years ago, that I completely don’t understand. What makes it interesting is that the Paluxy River flows by the rocks and the river bed is rock. The unusual rock forms and the river make for an interesting place to hang out for a little bit. Wading in the water is a popular pastime here in the early summer when there’s still water in the Paluxy.

Even when it’s not Summer, this is a fun place. Climbing on the rocks and hanging out is great fun. In a dry winter you can walk down the river bed. Last year they built a walk way from the Paluxy Heritage Park to Big Rocks Park. So, now you can walk from Big Rocks over to Paluxy Heritage Park.

For another swimming option in Glen Rose, you might consider Oakdale Park. Oakdale has a big pool that was built in 1925 but that’s still a great swimming place today. They also rent cabins and RV parking spaces. Best of all, Oakdale Park is directly across the street from Big Rocks Park.

Where

Glen Rose Texas

Along  SW Barnard St also known as SR 144, a few tenths of a mile from highway 67. Follow signs to the Historic Downtown and keep your eye open for the big green sign.

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Big Rocks Park, Glen Rose Texas

Big Rocks Park, Glen Rose Texas

Paluxy Heritage Park, Glen Rose Texas

Across the River from the town square in Glen Rose is the Paluxy Heritage Park. A final resting place for several historic dwellings from an earlier time in Somervell County, they have a log home, an early stone home, an early school house, and several other historic structures. Paluxy Heritage Park is a great place to relax, or to freshen up. There’s a also a pavilion for picnicking and parties, and a playground for the kids.

What’e great is that you can park here and walk over to Big Rocks Park. There’s a nice walkway that was recently constructed. This path runs along the Paluxy River and there’s a dock and an overlook along the way. This walkway terminates at the dam just before Big Rocks Park. You can walk across the dam and be in Big Rocks in no time. This is probably about a quarter-mile walk.

This park is easy to find. If your on the square in Glen Rose,  take SR 144 going away from the courthouse. The park is maybe 300 feet up the road. If your out of your car walking around the square, it might be easier just to walk.

Where: Glen Rose Texas

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Paluxy Heritage Park, Glen Rose Texas

Paluxy Heritage Park, Glen Rose Texas

Cleburne State Park, Cleburne Texas

I visited Cleburne State Park this past weekend, Saturday, April 24, 2010. The wildflower display was great! Really, just about the best I’ve seen in years. In the fields, along the trails, especially the Spillway Trail.

Right now seems to be the time to go see wildflowers in North Texas. I guess you never know when the peek is for wildflowers until it’s passed, but my guess is it’s right now. If I was going to guess a little more, I’d guess the other area state parks, Mineral Wells, Meridian, and Ceder Hill State Parks are also looking wonderful, as are the roadsides along the way.

Here’s a link to a news release about Major Construction, Restoring and Improving Cleburne State Park. This article contains a link to a more extensive list of renovations under way and scheduled to begin in the near future.  Oh, I forgot another local park, Lake Whitney State Park.

So, that’s about it. Click on these images for a slide show view of all three images.

Spillway Trail at Cleburne State Park

Cleburne State Park, Cleburne Texas

School at Kimball

Kimball Bend, today, is an Army Corps. of Engineers park along Highway 174 in Bosque County Texas, near the Brazos River bridge. It’s a great place to spend several days, if you have an RV and a boat. It has river access and is located close to Lake Whitney. The park has been improved sometime in the last few years and I hear it’s a good stay.

The present day park is at the site of the Brazos River crossing of the early day Chisholm Trail. Although the route of the Chisholm Trail seems to be some what a subject of debate, the fact that the trail crossed the river here seems sure.  In 1868, about the same time the Chisholm Trail got its start, there was also a ferry at this location. Cattle drives through this area brought prosperity until about 1875 when the drives shifted westward.

Today, ruins of three historic structures remain at this site: The ferry operator’s house, remnants of a store, and  the Kimball Public School. All thought the property is an Army Corps. of Engineers park, I was allowed free access when I asked about the historic site.

For the sake of your own experience, you might call ahead if you intend to stop here. As a historic site, this is not that compelling a place that it would merit a trip of its own. Consider a stop here if your passing through.

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Location

Kimball Bend Park (TX)
3350 HWY 174
Kopperl TX 76652

County: Bosque

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Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
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